Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar City, UT and San Mateo, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar City, UT and San Mateo, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Cedar City, UT versus $4,484 in San Mateo, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,774 in Cedar City, UT versus $6,623 in San Mateo, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,129 in Cedar City, UT versus $8,763 in San Mateo, CA.

Living in Cedar City, UT costs roughly 46% less than in San Mateo, CA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cedar City, UT 81% above, San Mateo, CA 235% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.12 $24.12

$20.26 $20.26

19.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$65.5 $65.5

23.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.78 $14.78

$11.59 $11.59

27.52%

Cappuccino

$6.39 $6.39

$5.15 $5.15

24.08%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.30 $3.30

38.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.41 $2.41

23.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$7.01 $7.01

-13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.17 $11.17

$9.84 $9.84

13.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.49 $1.49

-16.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.91 $4.91

-17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.32 $3.32

12.95%

Eggs

$5.19 $5.19

$4.98 $4.98

4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.35 $18.35

$15.00 $15.00

22.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$15.22 $15.22

4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.11 $18.11

$22.38 $22.38

-19.08%

Apples (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$6.31 $6.31

38.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.09 $2.09

41.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$4.76 $4.76

61.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$6.71 $6.71

-52.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$3.56 $3.56

-48.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$4.37 $4.37

-49.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.81 $2.81

-12.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.79 $2.79

-3.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 $12.88

$11.14 $11.14

15.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.69 $19.69

$14.38 $14.38

36.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.45 $3.45

63.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 $3.32

$4.63 $4.63

-28.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.88 $39.88

$66.2 $66.2

-39.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.44 $3.44

-0.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.87 $1.87

-15.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 $28.70

$30.53 $30.53

-5.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.29 $1.29

-29.46%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.1K $37.1K

$30.4K $30.4K

22.07%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-4.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$169 $169

$254 $254

-33.60%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$33.12 $33.12

$48.07 $48.07

-31.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 $57.6

$61.8 $61.8

-6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 $43.33

$96.5 $96.5

-55.11%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 $11.56

$15.77 $15.77

-26.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,947 $1,947

-34.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

-11.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$52.4 $52.4

10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.41 $49.41

$30.54 $30.54

61.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$89.4 $89.4

12.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$125 $125

22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 $1,073

$2,782 $2,782

-61.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 $956

$2,886 $2,886

-66.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,176 $2,176

$5,868 $5,868

-62.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 $1,895

$5,410 $5,410

-64.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,667 $2,667

$14.1K $14.1K

-81.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 $2,694

$8,719 $8,719

-69.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,550 $3,550

$7,458 $7,458

-52.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

10.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cedar City, UT: May 30, 2026

Last update for San Mateo, CA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,073 in Cedar City, UT and $2,782 in San Mateo, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Mateo, CA pays 110% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Cedar City, UT vs $65.0 in San Mateo, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $497 vs $490 per month, with San Mateo, CA cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cedar City, UT vs San Mateo, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cedar City, UT is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, San Mateo, CA earns 110% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,073 in Cedar City, UT versus $2,782 in San Mateo, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cedar City, UT runs roughly 66% less than in San Mateo, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,272 in Cedar City, UT versus $1,947 in San Mateo, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,420 in Cedar City, UT versus $4,484 in San Mateo, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cedar City, UT but tight or insufficient in San Mateo, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Cedar City, UT the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cedar City, UT is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Mateo, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cedar City, UT and San Mateo, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cedar City, UT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in San Mateo, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.